Share and Voice: Compost

Hey guys! Since we're getting close to spring (well, hopefully), I thought it would be a good time to talk about composting. I started a compost in my backyard at the beginning of last summer when I moved back to Duluth and loved it! I made it out of wire mesh and just attached it to the fence in our backyard - nice and easy. Here's a picture of it (unfortunately it hasn't been getting much use these last couple of months):



What is composting?
Composting creates an environment for organic waste (food scraps, yard trimmings, etc.) to quickly decompose into a dark soil-like material. Organisms such as insects, worms, and bacteria all help to break down the matter. It is a natural form of recycling!


Why should I start a compost?

• less trash sent to landfills - cut down your garbage by hundreds of pounds each year
  
• reduced odors in household garbage cans
• putting food through an in-sink garbage disposal means it will have to be removed from the water at a treatment plant

What can I put in my compost?
A basic principle of composting is to remember to combine both "greens" and "browns". This ensures proper amounts of nitrogen and carbon, and provides protein and energy for the organisms that live in and decompose the compost. Greens include matter such as green leaves, fresh grass and plant trimmings, coffee grounds, tea bags, and raw fruit and veggie scraps. Some browns are dried grasses and leaves, straw, woodchips, twigs and branches, shredded newspaper, and sawdust.

(As a side note, make sure air can circulate through the compost pile. This can be done by occasionally turning and mixing it up with a shovel. Also, see to it that the pile stays moist, but not too wet.)


What can't I put in my compost?
If you plan to use your compost as a soil amendment, keep it free of seeded weeds, diseased plants, and pet doo-doo. Also, excluding foods containing meat, dairy, and oils will help prevent unwanted visitors such as raccoons and neighborhood dogs.


What can I use my compost for?

• add the nutrient-rich matter to a garden or flowerbed
• mix it with existing soil to improve erosion control, soil fertility, and proper pH balance

What if I can't start a compost in my yard or I live on-campus?
There are some residential food waste drop sites here in Duluth:

• The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District's (WLSSD) Yard Waste Compost Site at 27th Ave West & Courtland St. (During winter months, it moves to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 27th Ave West & Courtland St.)
• WLSSD's Materials Recovery Center at Rice Lake and Ridgeview Roads
• Marshall Hardware at 4415 E. Superior St.
  
• Willard Munger Inn at 7408 Grand Ave
• Chester Creek Cafe at 1902 E 8th St.
  

Click here to view the hours for these drop-off sites.


This post is meant to be just a quick overview of composting, but there is much more that can be said about it! If you're interested in starting your own compost, visit these sites for more information and in-depth tips on how to get started:

• http://www.wlssd.duluth.mn.us/compost.php

• http://howtocompost.org/

• http://www.reduce.org/compost/index.html